Type-writing machine.



B. G. STIUKNEY. TYPE WRITING MACHINE- AYPLIOATIOII mum x0v.4,-1m.

Patented June 2, 1914,

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B. O. STIOKNBY. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

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Patented June 2,'191L a exams-bum 2.

llLlillIl-Ill-IIIIl-ll I mm mm B. G. STIGKNBY. TYPE WRITING MACHINE. nruornol nun IOVJ, 1m.

Patented June 2,191;

8 IEEETHBEET 8.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. V

BURN'HAM C. STICKNEY, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR '10 UNDERWOOD TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 2, 1914.

Original application filed April 17, 1903, Serial No. 153,024. Renewed March-3, 1909, Serial No. 481,022. Divided and this application iiled November 4, 1912. Serial No. 729,273.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, BURNHAM C. Sriqnnsy, a citizen of the United States, residing in Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented eertainnew and useful Im rovements in 'lypeswriting Machines, of w ich the following is a specification. I

This invention ielates to so-called visible writing machines in which the line of writing is always in view and especially to those of the front strike class.

This application, which is a division of my application No. 481,022, filed March 3, 1000, which is a renewal of my application No. 153,024, filed April 17, 1903, relates to the aper carriage, which is movable in lettereedin direction, and mounted ugion a frame which is hinged to the main ramework of the machine so as to permit the frame and carriage to swing or tilt upwardly, thereby givin access to the under side of the platen an carriage, as well as to that portion of the typewriter mechanism which lies below the carriage, for purposes of inspection, cleaning, re air, manipulation, etc. The typewriter :eys control the feeding movement of the carriage, and suitable provision is made for connecting the keys, which are mounted on the main frame of the machine, to control the carriage, which is movable up and off from the machine. The carriage-driving spring barrel is mounted on said hinged rame to swing up with the carriage; and the letterfeeding dogs, which engage the carriage rack to restrain the same, are also mounted on said swinging frame; provision being made whereby tie keys may operate said dogs when the frame and carriage are swung or folded down into closed relation with the main framework of the machine. In my said application No. 481,022, filed March 3, 1000, I claim the arrangement of ribbon spools on said hinged frame for the purpose of bringin the spools u intoaccessible position when esired, and o bringing them to a position down out of the way in the rear portion of the machine below the carriage, when the carriage and frame are folded down. In my application No. 475,080, filed February 3 1000, (a division of No. 153,024) I claim broadly the platen shifting mechanism disclosed herein. In my applicationNo. 673,130, filed Januar 24., 1912, (a division of 153,024) I claim t e carriage escapement mechanism herein disclosed. v

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear; and my invention further consists in certain combinations of devices, features of construction, and arrangements of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and articularly pointed out in the concluding c aims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a front strike writing machiiieembodying my improvements, one type action being shown in printing position, and the carriage bein shown in full lines in normal position, and in dotted lines when tilted up to render the ribbon spools accessible to the operator; the position of the platen when on itals are being written being also indicate by dotted lines below the full-line position. ig. 2 is a plan; and Fig. 3 is a sectional front view of the machine.

The framework of the machine comprises side walls 1, whose lower portions may be connected to form a use, and a top plate 2 supported upon said walls; a portion of the top plate being depressed, as at 3, to make room for the paper carriage and its supports.

Forwardly extending type-bars 4 are pivoted at their rear ends upon a curved fulcrum-rod 5 mounted in a segment 6, and strike rearward ly against a cylindrical or other platen 7. he segment is radially slotted at 8 to receive the type-bar hubs; and preferably both the segment and the fulcrum-wire incline upwardl and rearwardly, so that the types may stri e upon the front. side of the platen at a point a little above the horizontal plane of the platen axis. Each type-bar is provided with a lowercase type 9 and an upper-case type 10, the former being uppermost when the type bar is in printing position, although this relation may be reversed within the scope of my improvements, and the type-bars may be otherwise mounted. The type-bars may be operated by any suitable means, as for instance pull-links 11 and forwardly-extending levers 12 connected to the links and bearing-at their forward ends keys 13; said key-levers being fulcrumed at their rear ends upon a transverse bar 14, and being provided with returning springs 15.

The platen 7 may be mounted by means of an axle 16 upon a carriage which may be of any suitable construction, and is illustrated as comprising side bars 17, united at their rear ends b a longitudinal bar 18, said side bars exten( ing rearwardly from the platen axle; and arms 19 extending downwardly and rearwardly from the laten axle, and connected at their lower on s by a longitudinal carriage-guiding bar 20.' Upon a forwardly protruding boss Qtabout midway of said bar 20 is mounted a carriage roll 22, which runs upon a horizontal rail 23, rovided upon its rear side with a de'pen ing flange 24. Secured by screws 25 upon the rear side of this flange are upstanding arms 20, which support a cylindrical rail 2?. The carriage-bar 20 is bored longitudinally to slide along upon this rail 27, and is also recessed upon its under side at 28 to pass the arms 26. A finger 29, secured by the carriage-roll screw30, hooks under the front edge of the rail 23, thereby cooperating with the bar 20 to hold the carriage upon the rails. A feeding-in roller 31 may be mounted in rear of the platen upon links 32 rising from cars 83 on the carria 'e-bar 2Q;'and said links may be provided with rearwardlyextending lugs 34 for receiving legs 35 of a aper-shelf 36. From the front slde of the ar 9.0 may project forwardly and u wardly extending arms 37, upon whose orward ends may be hinged at 38 a bail consisting of a pair of upwardly and forwardl extending arms 39 and a platen-scale 40 xed upon the forward ends of said arms and provided with an apron 41 upon its rear side contiguous to the laten; the upper edge of said scale being elow the printing line 11 on the platen. One or more pressure rol ers 4). may be mounted upon an axle 43 mounted at its ends in said arms 31) about midway of their length. Any suitable springs may be provided for the front and rear pressure rollers. So far as my present improvements are concerned, the carriage, paper-feeding means and carriage-supporting and guidin" bars or rails may be of any other desire construction.

The flanged rail 23, 2-1 forms part of a movable frame, whereby the mper carriage is enabled not only to run in otter-space t irection, but to move also in a direction transverse thereto. This frame comprises, in addition to said rail (which need not be flanged in all cases) rear-wardly extendin arms 44, which are united at their forwar ends by said rail, and a rock-shaft 45, which unites the rear ends of said arms, said rockshaft bein horizontally mounted or hinged upon pint cs 46 working in cars 47 pro'ecting-foi wardly rom' the front portion 0 the rear part of the top plate 2.- The carriage and its sup orting frame may be swung together up a mat said hinges and tilted rearwardly to the dotted line )osition at Fig. 1, so as to expose the undersh c of the carriage. Said supporting frame may, however, be otherwise formed and otherwise movably supported within the scope of my improvements.

In rear of the type-bars and below the platen is mounted upon an axle or axis 418 a pair of ribbon spools 49, 50, said axis being horizontal, and said spools being arranged on ed e and side by side. The axis 48, wlnch exten s transversely of the machine, that is, from side to side thereof, or from left to right, is mounted in and transfixes the lower end of a forwardly and downwardly extending arm 51, preferably cast integral with the rock-shaft 45, and having an clongated boss 52 for suitably supporting the axis 48. It will be perceived that when in normal position the ribbon spools are inaccessible to the operator, but that when the hinged frame is swung up to the dotted line )osition at Fig. 1, said spools are broug it to an accessible position, for convenience 1n examining or adjusting or attaching the ribbon, or of detaching or replacing the spools, etc. The depressed portion 3' of the top plate is referably cleft, as at 5 3, to make room for t to spools, which in normal position dip below Stlltl depressed portion.

For rotating the spools, I preferably use a pair of pawls 54, 55 operated at every type stroke, and adapterv to engage a pair of ratchet wheels 56, associated with the ribboa-spools. The latter may he slipped oil and onto the axis 48, being retained by thumb-nuts 57 and each ratchet wheel may be connected to its spool by a collar or other device 58, so that one spool with its ratchet may turn upon the axis independently of the other spool and its ratchet. If desired, the member 58 may be splined to the spool, as at 58*, so as to permit the latter to he slipped off; or the axis 48 may be divided into two lengths, one fixed to and revolving with each spool and ratchet; or any other suitable spoolmounting and revolving means may be employed within the scope. of

my invention. One ratchet may be omitted;

and the other fixed to an undivided axis, and the s ools may be alternately clamped to the axis y the thumb-mus 57, so as to cause the ribbon to wind first on one spool and then on the other.

From one spool the ribbon at) is led forwardly and upwardly, as at 50', then across the printing point at the front side of the platen, as at 59 and then back to the other spool, as at 59. At the front side of the platen are provided ribbon-guiding arms (,0 and 61, formed at their upper ends with reversely inclined tips 62, 63, the angle of each tip being about 45 degrees, for properly conductin the ribbon across the printing point or held between its ascending and descending portions. Said arms 60 and 61 form part of a ribbon vibrator, being connected at th ir lower ends by a cross-arm 64, whereby they are su ported u on a bent arm 65, which extends ackward y beneath the rail 23 and at its rear end is pivoted by means of a rock-shaft 66 upon bearing-arms 7 and (38, both of the latter projecting forwardly from the rock-shaft 45 of the carriage-supporting hinged frame, and arm 67 overlying the spool-carrying arm 51. By this vibrator, the ribbon may be lifted to cover the printin oint at each impression, as at Fig. 1, ancfteprcssed to uncover the same; and since the vibrator is mounted upon the hinged frame, it is carried up with the latter when tilted to the dotted-line position at Fig. 1, thus facilitating the reevin of the ribbon from the spools over the gui ing arms 62 and 63. Said ribbon vibrator is o eratively connected to carriage-feeding mecianism also mounted upon tie hinged carriage-supporting frame and co'tiperatmg with a rack 69 on the carriage; said feedingl mechanism comprising a detent dog 70 an a feeding dog 71, the latter being normally in engagement with the rack. hese dogs are mounted upon a rocker or rock-shaft 72, mounted upon cars 73 and 74 upon the rock-shaft 45; and said rocker 72 is provided with an operating arm 75 which curves downwardly and rcarwardly beneath the rock-shaft 45, in position to be operated by a finger 76 projecting forwardly from the upper end 0 an upstanding rocker-arm 77, fixed upon a rock-shaft 78 mounted transversely in the base of the machine. Said rock-shaft 78 carries near its ends forwardl directed arms 79, from which is suspends by means of rods 80, a universal bar 81, extending transversely beneath all of the typeoperating key-levers 12, so as to be operated at. each type stroke. The universal-bar and rocker 78 may be returned to normal position by a spring 82; and a returningspring 83 for the dog-rocker may be coiled about the shaft 72. The connection between the latter and the ribbon-vibrator consists of an arm 84 mounted u on shaft 72, a pulllink 85 connected to said arm and extending forwardly, and an arm 86 connected to said link and mounted upon the vibrator shaft 66. By this means, whenever the dog-rocker is vibrated by the keys, the vibrator is elevated to cause the ribbon to cover the printing point: and u on the return of the carriage-feeding mec ianism to normal position, said vibrator drops to permit the ribbon to uncover the printin point.

The carriage may be propelled by a springbarrel 87 (Figs. 2 and 3), mounted upon an arm 88, projecting laterally and downwardly from the side-bar 44 of the hinged carriage-supporting frame; and a strap 88' may connect the spring-barrel to the earriage. By mounting both the spring barrel and the carriage-feeding mechanism a on the hinged frame, the latter is permitted to swin freely up and down, without liability of eranging the carriage-controlling devices, which always maintains their proper relation to the carriage, although by reason of the arm 75 swinging away from the finger 70, the latter cannot of course operate the feeding mechanism when the carriage is tilted up.

The ribbon-feeding pawls 54 and 55 may be pivoted at their rear ends upon arms 89 upstanding from the universa -bar rocker 78, and provided with draw-springs 90 connected at their lower ends to the pawls and at their upper ends to the arms 89, whereby the pawls may be held in engagement wit 1 the ratchet wheels 56; each pawl being provided with a stop 91, to prevent undue upward movement thereof when the ratchet wheels are swun away from the awls at the tilting up of the carriage. Be iind the pawls is mounted in the said walls of the machine a horizontal shaft 92, having an operating handle 93, and carryin wings 94, 95, tie latter being shown as 1i ting an arm 96 projecting rcarwardly from the pawl 55, so as to hold the toothed end of the latter down out of engagement with its ratchet wheel. The shaft may be rocked to depress the win 95 and allow said pawl to rengage the rate iet-wheel, while the other wing 9 1 rises and lifts an arm 97 provided upon the other pawl, and throws the latter out of engagement whereby the feed of the ribbon is reverse Any other suitable ribbon-feeding and reversing ribbon may be employed, and the ribbon spools may be otherwise disposed within the limits of my invention.

Preferably advantage is also taken of the hinging of the carria e-support, to enable the latter to be Slllftetl lll') and down to enable difl'erent t pes to print. Normally the carriage and p aten are in an elevated )OSltion, as seen in full lines at Fig. 1, thereby enabling the lower-case types 9 to print; while depressing the carriage and platen (the latter in its (le )ressed position being indicated by a dotte circle at Fig. 1) the u per-case types 10 are enabled to print. '1 ie downward movement of the carriage is limited by a pair of adjustable stops 98, and its upward movement by a pair of stopshaving the form of books 99 which overhang lugs 100 projecting forwardly from the car riage-supporting rail 23 at the ends thereof. A spring 101, Fig. 1, sustains the earriage and hinged frame normally against the hooks 09, said spring being caught at its upper end over a pin 102 projecting from the side wall of the machine, and at its lower end being caught in a lever 103,which is fulcrumed at its rear end upon a shoulderscrew 104, and isprovided between its ends with a vertical thrust-rod 105, which is uided at its upper end in an eye 105 formed in the depressed portion 3 of the to plate, and ontacts with a boss 10? formet upon the under side of the side arm 44 of the hinged frame, thereby supportingl the latter. A stop-pin 108, overlying the ever 108, prevents undue upward movement of the latter when the carriage is tilted up. The lever 103 is provided with a key 104, by pressure upon which the pull of the spring 101 may be overcome, and the lever 103 and rod 105 carried down, perinittin' the carriage and hinged frame to drop anc rest upon the screw-stops 08.

The hooks 90, which extend through eyes 105 in the to plate 3, are fixed upon a rockshaft 100, whereby they may be vibrated forwardly to release the hinged frame and carriage, to permit the latter to be tilted up; said rock-shaft being provided with a returning spring 107, and bein mounted in eccentric-nuts 108, by the adjustment of which the books 00 may be elevated or lowered so as to osition the platen with accuracy. It will be noted that the hinge 46 of the carriage supporting frame is in rear of and below the platen, so that the latter may shift downwardly and forwardly in a direction agreeing substantially with the tip of the type-bar segment 0, the forward movement being in this instance, however, very slight.

At Fig. 3 it will be noted that the ribbon comes up in direct paths from the spools to the front side of the platen, and that the ribbon-guiding arms 00, ()1 are widely sep arated, so as to expose to view somewhat more than one of the major divisions upon the ilatcn scale, so that at least one of the whoie numbers marked u ion the platen scale is always visible to tihe operator between said arms, and he can readily determine at what point the carriage is standing, an index 109 being preferably formed upon the cross-bar 64 for this purpose. The type-guide has a type-opening 110 above the platen scale, and arms 111 and 11?. extending laterally and downwardly from said opening, in a manner to leave exposed all of the platen scale which is visible between the ribbon-guiding arms (30 and (51; said type-guiding arms being connected at their bases by a bar 113, and the type-guiding frame being secured upon the depressed portion of the top-plate 3 by arms 114 and screws 115.

At Fig. 1 it will be seen that the typeguiding frame is tipped rearwardly and substantially parallel with the plane of the ty e-bar pivots.

ide variations in the construction and operation of the different mechanisms may be resorted to within the scope of my invention; and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types mounted to strike on the front thereof, of a carriage on which said platen is mounted, and a hinged frame non-separable from said carriage whereupon said carriage runs; said frame comprising a rail upon which the carriage runs, arms extending rearwardly from said rail, and a bar uniting the mar ends of said arms.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and types mounted to strike on the front thereof, of a carriage on which said platen is mounted, a hinged frame non-separable from said carriage wliereon said carriage runs; said frame comprising a rail upon which the carriage rims, arms extending rearwardly from said rail, and a bar uniting the rear ends of said arms, and a key-controlled carriage-feeding mechanism including a member on said frame.

3. In a front strike writing machine, the combination of a series of rearwardly-striking type-bars, a platen, a platen carriage, a frame whereon said carriage runs, said frame movable up and down, a platen scale supported contiguous to the platen and below the printing point, and an index on said frame for said scale whereby said carria e, 100

frame, scale and int ex are connected in t io up-and-down movement of said frame.

4. In a front strike writing machine, the combination of a series of rearwardly-striking type-bars, a platen, a platen carriage, a frame whereon said carriage runs, said frame movable up and down, a platen scale supported contiguous to the platen and below the printing oint, an index on said frame for said sea e, and a type guide connected with said frame having a type opening above said scale and having supporting arms extending outwardly and downwardly to leave a portion of the scale between said supporting arms substantially uncovered, whereby said carriage, frame, scale, index and guide are connected in the up-and-down movement of said frame.

5. In a front strike typewriting machine, the combination of a series of rearwardlystriking types, a platen. a platen carriage, a frame 11 on which said carriage runs, and a spring or sustaining said frame and carriage in normal position, said frame and carriage being movable together to expose the under side of said platen.

6. In a front strike writing machine, the combination of a series of rearwardlystriking types, a platen, a platen carriage, a frame whereon said platen carriage runs,

said frame being hinged in rear of the platen, a vertically operating spring-pressed device for sustaining said frame, and a stop against which said frame is held by said spring-pressed device.

7. In a front strike Writing machine, the combination of a series of rearwardlystriking types, a platen, a platen carriage,

a frame whereon said platen carriage runs,

said frame being hinged in rear of the platen, a spring. and a stop against which said frame is held by said spring, said carriage and frame being movable in opposition to said spring, and said stop being releasable so as to enable said hinged frame to be tilted up to expose the under side of the platen.

8. In a front strike writing machine, the combination of a series of rearwardlystriking types, a platen, a platen carriage, a frame whereon said carriage runs, said frame being hinged to the framework of the machine, a spring lifting said frame, and a stop against which said frame is lifted by said spring, said frame being tiltable upwardly when-said stop is released, so as to expose the under side of the carriage.

9. The combination with rearwardlystriking types in a typewriting machine, of a non-traveling carriage-track frame hinged directly upon the framework of the typewriter and a SJIlI] for said frame. said frame being tiltable to expose the under side of the carriage. 4 10. In combination with rearwardlystriking types, a platen, a carriage for said platen, a frame hinged upon the framework of the machine, said carriage mounted on said frame and movable up and down therewith, and carriage-propelling devices also mounted on said frame. I

11. In combination with rearwardly striking types, a platen, a carriage for said platen, a frame hinged upon the framework of the machine, said carriage mounted on said frame and movable up and down therewith, and carriagepropelling devices also mounted on said frame, said frame being mounted to tilt upwardly to expose said carriage-propelling devices and the under side of said platen.

12. A front-strike writing machine, comprising rearwardly striking type-bars, a platen on the front side of which the typebars strike, a carriage for said platen, a'

rail structure upon which said carriage runs, and a framework to Wl'llCll the rail structure is hinged to swing up out of working position, the path of swinging movement carriage and rail structure being entirely in rear of the type-bars;and said rail strucof said t-ure comprising tracks beneath said carriage, and also having arms extending rear wardly from said tracks at their rear ends hinged to the framework of the machine.

13. A front-strike writing machine comprising a carriage, rearwardly striking typebags in front of said carriage, and a carriage-giiding device in rear of said typebars and beneath said carriage in inaccessible position, the coordination of the mechanism allowing a free carriage up out of working position, t0- gether'with said guiding device, to render the latter accessible.

prising a system of type-bars mounted at the front of the machine to strike rear wardly, a platen against the front side whereof said platen. and guiding devices for said carriage, said carri ge and said guiding devices all disposed behind said type-bars and comprising portions rendered inaccessible by the platen and the typerbar system, the coordination of the mechanism allowing a. free movement of said carriage out of working position to an elevated position, together movement of said- 14:. A front-strike writing machine com-' said type-bars strike, a'carriage for with said guiding devices, to render the normally inaccessible cessible.

15. In a typewriting machine of the class in which a' plat-en and platen carriage are mounted wholly in rear of the type-bar system, and in which the types strike the front of the platen, the combination withcarriage-guiding tracks rendered inaccessible by the platen, of means coordinating portions thereof acthe mechanism and allowing a free movement of said tracks up from 'normal'position to accessible position, while the carriage remains mounted thereon.

it}. In a typewriting. machine in which type-bars strike rearwardly against a platen which is mounted in rear of the-type-bar system, the combination with carriageguiding tracks rendered inaccessible by the platen, and paper-guiding devices between the printing line and the introductory side of the platen, said paper-guiding devices also rendered inaccessible by the platen, of means coerdinating the mechanism and allowing a free upward movement from normal position of said carriage-guiding tracks together with said carriage, to render both said tracks and said paper-guiding devices accessible.

iennnnan o; sTIoKNEY.

Witnesses:

J. A. Bnornr, Tires H. linens. 

